young adult cancer canada

Be prepared, not paranoid, and celebrate the end of treatment

When your treatments end, you’re expected to be delighted. Of course, you’re wondering “What happens next? How do I go back to a treatment-free routine? Will it come back?”

The Mayo Clinic says the period of waiting for appointments and test results can be one of the most anxious periods of a cancer experience. Regular interaction with your doctor and cancer centre assures you of progress and offers frequent opportunities to detect and deal with new developments. There is a lot of room for uncertainty when you’re only going back every three months, six months, year, and then only once every five years.

They offer the following tips to keeping calm, informed, and prepared:

Keep up to date on the current research being done on your cancer and discuss it with your doctor.

Make an effort to stay healthy by eating good foods and being active. It’s your body to take care of now.

Take this time to make financial provisions to help out in the event your cancer does return. Don’t get blindsided.

Pay attention to your body and make sure you get anything unusual checked out.

These things considered, don’t live in fear, just live attentively. You have experienced this before so you know which areas of your life will need some extra attention should you have to take that journey again. Be prepared, and celebrate your milestones!